Motivation

I still get up just about every morning to get on the elliptical, but am very looking forward to spring when I can get our and run again. As I was burning calories, I wondered where my motivation to do this comes from? Where does any motivation come from? It only comes from one place, and one only. It comes from within. Taking the easy road and sleeping in does not motivate me. Trying to maintain my "girlish" figure through the winter so I am not so completely out of shape motivates me. The pictures of what I used to look like motivate me to keep going. Some days, we have lots of motivation and we might be going in what my husband calls "manic mode". He tells the boys to just watch out. I get into "go mode" and usually it is because I have lots to do. What motivates you? Is it some external pressure put upon you by someone else? I remmeber when I first start running with Rocky and people would tell me that it must be great to have someone there to motivate me twice a week at my door at 5am. I didn't understand her method, but those two rules will never be forgotten. I still find motivation from her everyday, even though she may never know it. Motivation is something that tells yout to change whatever you are doing if you want something different. Motivation is a choice and can be very powerful in propelling you forward as you tackle the day's tasks. At times, motivating yourself can be very difficult, but it always tells you that you can do more than you think you can. No one reminds me to get up at exercise in the morning...because I do it for no one else but me. Look close to your heart and you will find all you ever need to keep you motivated.

Standing on a star

Has this ever happened to you? When you felt like there was nothing bigger than you, right at that moment, and NOTHING could change it? Today, that is how I feel. Like I am standing on a star. Not because I am better or bigger than anyone else, but today is a day for me. People that know me very well know that I am not one to shout, "Yay for me!", but today is different. It is different because tonight is another piece of the puzzle coming together regarding my dream. I have two passions and dreams - one, to be a life coach for women and that began two months ago with the G.I.F.T. and two, to be a motivational speaker for teenagers and my first speech for that is tonight. People have asked me if I'm anxious or nervous about tonight but I'm really not. I really like my speech and the one person who got the trial run beforehand, liked it too. I made some minor additions (can't believe I forgot THE question...LOL) and I hope it gets people to think, but it may not affect just the teenagers in the room. Maybe the impact is greater. I do not know what comes next. It really doesn't matter and is out of my control. I can only continue to do what I am doing, giving it my all, and things will happen as they are meant to. Today is another step towards everything I see in my future. I also want to thank everyone who has been on this crazy ride with me...I would not be here without you and hope you know how much you mean to me. TYFE. So tonight, when you look up at the night sky, you just might see me as I will be standing on the brightest star! Atta, girl!

Are you frustrated yet?

Do you sometimes feel like you are that little hamster running around inside your cage on you rlittle plastic wheel and wondering why you are never getting anywhere? Those hamsters run around for maybe a variety of reasons: they like exercise, they like not going anywhere, their brains are not big enough to process anything more. I am sure we look like "hamsters" when we get on exercise equipment that takes us no place, but we merely do that for exercise. Don't you want to be somewhere different? Do something different? Be more? In one week, my life changes gramatically and I hope other lives change as well. I was motivated to write this blog after reading one of the quotes I have in my office. It says, "Frustration should create action, not make you want to give up." I know I used to want to give up. Who doesn't? At least sometimes? When you see something wrong, don't you want to fix it? Don't you want to at least try? I remember several years ago when there an intersection near our house was too dangerous for the neighborhood children to cross to get to and from school every day. Several other parents I talked to told me all the same thing - "We already tried."; "The officials won't do anything."; and "blah, blah, blah." So, I invited those same officials out to watch a typical morning commute and I recall asking one gentleman, "Would you allow your children to cross here?" His immediate reply, "No way." I followed that up with, "Then why should I let mine?" A trip to the county offices, a little publicity, and they came up with a solution. Not my solution, but one that was better than what we had at the time. In fact, in the past 15 years, several improvements have been made to make that intersection safer still. An Army of One. One Voice. These are all things that can create change in the world. Get frustrated and make that frustration fuel what motivates you into action. Do something! I get annoyed when people wil sit and complain about something but do nothing to change it. If it bothers you THAT much, then either live with it the way that it is or do something different. Someone once called me an "idealist" - that I was loving the ideas of what should be but wasn't accepting the way things are. If we all did that, then nothing would change. "Create the change you want to see in the world." MOVE!!!!!

Inspiration vs. Motivation

As I was running this morning, several thoughts came to me, and I was very nervous that I would forget them before I could get home and write them down. I know it is pretty sad that I carry pen and paper in my car, in my purse, in my office, etc just in case some profound thought comes to my head, but I guess I never really thought about needing to keep it on me when I am running at 5am. My running partner may not like it if I have to stop every so often and write something down. We will see how that plays out. Anyway, back to this post...inspiration vs. motivation. I was reading the first few pages of some new books I was looking into reading the other day and I came across one that made me think about the title of this post. As people around me share with me that I have inspired them, I am always blown away by that much credit being given to me. I am just being me, or doing something for myself and as much as it is not an intentional inspiration, it is something that is outside of us. We can find inspiration in great stories from the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" books, seeing someone do something kind for a perfect stranger, or hearing a message that resonates with us and stirs something perhaps long forgotten. But motivation is different. The book hints at how someone can inspire someone else, but cannot motivate them. The basic reason was that motivation does not comes from outside oneself, but from the inside. We have to find the motivation from within to do something different that we have been inspired to do. Motivation comes after inspiration, not before. Inspiration is the thought and the motivation is the action that follows. Here is my example, when I started running with Rocky, it was more about trying to do something for myself because she asked the questions. But knowing she only runs with me twice a week meant that I had to motivate myself to get up every morning and run without her. If you have been inspired, what did that motivate you to do? Have you followed through? Why or why not? It is not enough to just be inspired...you have to find the motivation to change something in your life. It can happen - be ready to receive it.

Crazy day - little bit of whining

I know most of us could probably agree that in most cases, Mondays can be crazy for whatever reasons. The day started out normal enough, but then things started happening. Weird, unusual, and out of the ordinary. I was asked by someone new to speak at one their monthly meetings about motivation. This would take place probably in September and I would have about 45 minutes to talk. I have bits and pieces for the first talk I was asked to give (but have yet to give it yet - maybe November), but nothing is finalized yet. I don't even have a powerpoint put together or an outline. I was totally speechless when I read the email. I called a friend and I whined. I knew that was going to be the intention of the call and she dismissed me because she knows I'll do it. In truth, I could not even speak when she first answered the phone - like someone had kicked me in the gut. She really is an awesome friend. I guess even though I talk about all these things I could do, want to do, etc, I don't usually follow through without some grumbling first. Today, I was also given a music CD with some very specific songs on it that was burned just for me. I know some of it is meant to be motivational (to run to in the am), some of it is meant to encourage me to continue the path my life is taking. I also know that with everything I have learned over these months I cannot go back and that this is all meant to be. Why is this so difficult? I found this quote today by Leo Buscaglia -“It's not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something. May I suggest that it be creating joy for others, sharing what we have for the betterment of personkind, bringing hope to the lost and love to the lonely.” How ironic that I find this on a day when all of these other things (that happen for reasons) occurred? It will make sense to me soon...

WOW!!!

The last 24 hours have been almost a whirlwind. I went to lunch with a new friend who is there as I take this journey. It was a lunch we had planned for a week or so and really are enjoying getting to know each other. She asked me one question that has sent me reeling since. Up til this point I have been good at motivating others to make changes in their lives, but did not expect her question to change mine. She simply asked me if I would come to her office and speak about attitude to her co-workers. This may sound silly, but I still am not sure what I am learning from this process so how can I share it with others? The prospect of speaking to this group is not what I am afraid of. I am terrified of what comes after. I keep asking myself, "What can I bring to the table that is not already there?" When we are invited for a dinner party or potluck, we check with the hostess to see what everyone else is bringing, which helps us make our decision on what to bring. Every morning, I receive a daily Bible verse and this morning's was Acts 20:24 - "But my life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord." I don't believe in coincidence. Things happen for a reason. Most of the time, I read the Bible verse, delete it, say a little prayer, and start my day. This one is still on my phone.
The little voice has told me over and over today that I cannot be encouraging others to be courageous if I am not willing to do the same. One of the books that changed my life is called, "Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway." Right now, I feel like I am standing at the edge of the pool, wanting to get in. Not sure if I just jump in and get it over with or do I dip my toe in a little, getting a little more wet each time. Or do I wait for someone to push me in. The end result is the same...once I am in the pool it is ok because that is where I wanted to be. It doesn't matter how I got there.
In my job, I motivate young people about how they can CHOOSE what happens in their lives and how they are not destined to be anything because of circumstances. I teach them about giving more of yourself instead of getting more for yourself. I remind them that they need to do what is right, not what is easy, because usually doing what is right is not what is easy. Now, I am being asked to give that same kind of a talk to a group of adults. My philosophy has always been that I would rather give a speech in front of 200 people instead of accept an award in front of 10. Why? When you accept an award, the focus is on you. When you speak, the focus is what you are talking about.
In case you are wondering, I agreed to give the presentation to her group.

It Starts Today

This journey actually started on January 4, 2010. It continues today. It started with a casual lunch with a friend where we both decided we have come to that point in our lives where we are questioning our purpose. We have arrived at the same stop, but took very different roads to get here. After this lunch, I began to have inspirational thoughts come to me that I have never had before. For example, " Unknown dreams will show themselves in ways you and I have never imagined." "Dreams we never knew we had or never shared with anyone will serve those we were meant to serve." At the end of 2009, I finished reading a book about how to find my "authentic self", whatever that meant. I really picked it up, not because I was searching for those answers, but more because I was bored and didn't have another book to read. Yet, I was open and very honest with my friend and began to feel empowered and overjoyed. But I could not explain why as I called my sisters that weekend. They kept asking me, "What happened?" I told them nothing happened. I am amazed at the reaction I get from others that I share this story with. I am even shocked that I decided to start this blog. I take a spiral notebook with me everywhere I go, just in case something comes to me and I need to write it down. I need to carry a mini-recorder with me as well when I am thinking while I am driving.

I am not sure what I hope anyone gains from me updating this blog. I am confident people will gather different things from it. Maybe it is just a way for me to share things with others that may be having the same questions I am having. Best wishes always.